Tip: Both teams to score / YES
Odds: 1.70
SC Braga and Vitória de Guimarães are in action at Sunday’s Estadio da Pedreira, in Braga, for the 18th round of the NOS League. SC Braga are getting another great season and have already surpassed Sporting in the overall standings, being a team that always wants to win regardless of the event in which they participate and were not affected by the change of coach. Vitória de Guimarães are also getting a good championship, but failed to win their last two NOS League games, although they qualified in the middle of this week for the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup.
SC Braga occupy the third place with 36 points, with 11 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses, with 29 goals scored and 13 goals conceded. The Minho Warriors are in great shape and arrive here unbeaten in the last 5 games of the Portuguese championship, where there is an important triumph in leonine territory, and this good sequence of results took the team to the 3rd place of the general classification table, Now 2 points clear of fourth-placed Sporting and 2 behind FC Porto. Although they are already out of the Europa League and the Portuguese Cup, the miners have managed to reach the semi-finals of the League Cup where they will face Vitória de Setúbal. This training led by Jorge Simão is always a very strong team inside doors, proof of this is a beautiful home record in the Portuguese league, making the Minho Warriors the best team in the league to play at home, with the most points added and more goals Scored so far, counting with 8 wins and 1 draw in Liga NOS, and with partial of 22 goals scored and 6 goals conceded. Although the Portuguese coach faces some casualties for this match, the minhoto team should continue with its good home record and seek to take advantage of a possible physical wear of the team of Guimarães, who played a mid-week clash.
In their last 5 official games, SC Braga have a record of 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss. This sequence of results began with a defeat by 1-2 in the reception to Rio Ave, in game counting for the League Cup. It was followed by a 4-0 win at home to Sp. Covilhã in the League Cup tie, a 0-0 draw at Nacional, a 0-1 victory at Marítimo, and a game To count for the League Cup, and in the last round, a 2-0 victory at the Tondela reception. Ricardo Ferreira, Velázquez, Mauro, injured, and Hassan, in the service of the national team, are confirmed casualties.
Eleven Probable: Marafona – Paulinho, Rosic, Artur Jorge and Goiano – Battaglia, Xeka, Santos and Eduardo – Pinho and Rui Fonte.
Liga NOSO Vitória de Guimarães, in turn, ranks 5th with 31 points, 9 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses, with 27 goals scored and 19 goals conceded. The Conquistadores arrive here without being able to win any of the last two consecutive games of the Portuguese championship, but conceding only 1 snub in the last 6 games that they played in the event, a record, nevertheless, leaves him comfortable in the 5th position of the access table to the Europa League , 5 points clear of the 6th placed Marítimo, and seeing Sporting CP in 4th place 3 points away. Pedro Martins’ line-up has only the Portuguese Cup in hand, having secured access to the semi-finals midweek with a win for the home side of Sp. Covilhã, now facing Chaves as their opponent.
Even out of doors, the Conquistadores have been proving they are not joking and have won 6 wins in their 9 games in the NOS League, losing only 2 occasions at home to FC Porto and Tondela and scored 12 goals while conceding Only 6 in the process. Although it demonstrates some defensive shortcomings, the Guimarães team has given good notes in the offensive process, showing itself a very strong team and that finishes well to the goal, giving width to its game and attacking many of the times by the right corridor. The main offensive highlight of the team goes to Marega, the 3rd best scorer of the league with 10 goals scored, although he can not be present for this confrontation.
In their last 5 official games, Vitória de Guimarães has a record of 1 win, 2 draws and 2 losses. This sequence of results began with a 2-2 draw at Paços de Ferreira’s home game in the League Cup. There followed a 0-2 defeat at Benfica, a 0-2 defeat at Benfica in the League Cup game, a 0-0 draw at Feirense, and on the final day , A 0-1 victory on SP soil. Covilhã, in game to count for the Portuguese Cup. Rafael Miranda, injured, and Marega, in the service of the selection, are confirmed casualties.
Eleven Probable: Douglas – Gaspar, Henry, Joshua and Konan – Zungu and Aurélio – Hernâni, Hurtado and Raphinh
